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Tier 2
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Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence.
Environmental Sources
Marine & Wildlife
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The distribution and characterisation of microplastics in air, surface water and sediment within a major river system
The Science of The Total Environment2023
75 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 55
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Sarah E. Nelms
Emily M. Duncan,
Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Imogen E. Napper,
Imogen E. Napper,
Imogen E. Napper,
Imogen E. Napper,
Imogen E. Napper,
Imogen E. Napper,
Imogen E. Napper,
Imogen E. Napper,
Imogen E. Napper,
Imogen E. Napper,
Imogen E. Napper,
Imogen E. Napper,
Imogen E. Napper,
Imogen E. Napper,
Imogen E. Napper,
Sumit Kumar,
Sumit Kumar,
Sunanda Bhola,
Sunanda Bhola,
Sarah E. Nelms
Sarah E. Nelms
Sarah E. Nelms
Richard C. Thompson,
Sarah E. Nelms
Sarah E. Nelms
Sarah E. Nelms
Emily M. Duncan,
Emily M. Duncan,
Richard C. Thompson,
Emily M. Duncan,
Emily M. Duncan,
Emily M. Duncan,
Emily M. Duncan,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Taylor Maddalene,
Aaron Barrett,
Taylor Maddalene,
Richard C. Thompson,
Bede Ffinian Rowe Davies,
Emily M. Duncan,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Aaron Barrett,
Anju Baroth,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Anju Baroth,
Sarah E. Nelms
Imogen E. Napper,
Imogen E. Napper,
Imogen E. Napper,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Heather J. Koldewey,
Md. Nazmul Hasan Niloy,
Md. Nazmul Hasan Niloy,
Sarah E. Nelms
Aaron Barrett,
Aaron Barrett,
Aaron Barrett,
Md. Nazmul Hasan Niloy,
Md. Nazmul Hasan Niloy,
Aaron Barrett,
Aaron Barrett,
Aaron Barrett,
Richard C. Thompson,
Sunanda Bhola,
Sunanda Bhola,
Sarah E. Nelms
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury,
Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Heather J. Koldewey,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Sarah E. Nelms
Sarah E. Nelms
Richard C. Thompson,
Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Sarah E. Nelms
Imogen E. Napper,
Bede Ffinian Rowe Davies,
Richard C. Thompson,
Bede Ffinian Rowe Davies,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Emily M. Duncan,
Emily M. Duncan,
Richard C. Thompson,
Taylor Maddalene,
Taylor Maddalene,
Emily M. Duncan,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Imogen E. Napper,
Sumit Kumar,
Sumit Kumar,
Richard C. Thompson,
Sarah E. Nelms
Sarah E. Nelms
Sarah E. Nelms
Sarah E. Nelms
Sarah E. Nelms
Sarah E. Nelms
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Md. Nazmul Hasan Niloy,
Md. Nazmul Hasan Niloy,
Md. Nazmul Hasan Niloy,
Md. Nazmul Hasan Niloy,
Richard C. Thompson,
Bushra Nishat,
Heather J. Koldewey,
Richard C. Thompson,
Bushra Nishat,
Bushra Nishat,
Bushra Nishat,
Richard C. Thompson,
Taylor Maddalene,
Richard C. Thompson,
Taylor Maddalene,
Taylor Maddalene,
Taylor Maddalene,
Natalie Smith,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Heather J. Koldewey,
Heather J. Koldewey,
Richard C. Thompson,
Sarah E. Nelms
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Richard C. Thompson,
Emily M. Duncan,
Sarah E. Nelms
Summary
Researchers conducted the first simultaneous comparison of microplastic pollution in air, water, and river sediment along the entire length of the Ganges River system. They found microplastics present in all three environmental compartments, with the highest concentrations in sediment, suggesting rivers act as long-term sinks. The study provides important baseline data for understanding how microplastics move through major river systems from source to sea.
Study Type
Environmental
Rivers are key pathways for the transfer of microplastics (MP) to marine environments. However, there are considerable uncertainties about the amount of microplastics transported by rivers to the ocean; this results in inaccuracies in our understanding of microplastic quantity and transport by freshwater systems. Additionally, it has been suggested that rivers may represent long-term sinks, with microplastics accumulating in sediment due to their high density or other biological, chemical, and physical factors. The atmosphere is also an important pathway by which airborne microplastics may enter aquatic habitats. Here, we compare for first time microplastics type and concentration in these key environmental mediums (air, water and sediment) along a major river (Ganges), from sea to source to understand 1) the abundance, 2) the spatial distribution, and 3) characteristics. Mean microplastic abundance settling from the atmosphere was 41.12 MP m<sup>2</sup> day<sup>-1</sup>; while concentrations in sediment were 57.00 MP kg<sup>-1</sup> and in water were 0.05 MP L<sup>-1</sup>. Across all sites and environmental mediums, rayon (synthetically altered cellulose) was the dominant polymer (54-82 %), followed by acrylic (6-23 %) and polyester (9-17 %). Fibres were the dominant shape (95-99 %) and blue was the most common colour (48-79 %). Across water and sediment environmental mediums, the number of microplastics per sample increased from the source of the Ganges to the sea. Additionally, higher population densities correlated with increased microplastic abundance for air and water samples. We suggest that clothing is likely to be the prominent source of microplastics to the river system, influenced by atmospheric deposition, wastewater and direct input (e.g. handwashing of clothes in the Ganges), especially in high density population areas. However, we suggest that subsequent microplastic release to the marine environment is strongly influenced by polymer type and shape, with a large proportion of denser microplastics settling in sediment prior to the river discharging to the ocean.